After quickly finishing breakfast, Jian Mo wrapped a large bundle of mien fruit cakes in big leaves and headed to the open space, eager to share them with others.
Several sub-beastmen were already gathered there, waiting for their companions before setting out to forage.
Jian Mo approached a familiar group of sub-beastmen.
Zhou Fu noticed him and waved. “What are you carrying?”
Jian Mo walked over and unfolded the leaves to reveal the contents. “It’s a new type of food I made. Try it and see if you can guess what it’s made of.”
Zhou Fu reached out immediately, intending to grab a piece.
Jian Mo sidestepped and stopped him. “Wait! I brought skewers for this.”
Zhou Fu grumbled, “Why bother with skewers? They’re hard to carve. Save them for later. My hands aren’t dirty.”
Jian Mo didn’t answer, only smiling as he handed over the skewers and offered the cakes.
The group picked up skewers, pierced the mien fruit cakes, and began to taste them thoughtfully.
Before long, surprise appeared on their faces.
Jian Mo asked, “Can you guess what it’s made from?”
Zhou Fu sucked on his skewer and shook his head. “I can’t even tell if it’s meat or root vegetable, let alone what it’s made from.”
The others began to discuss:
“It might be meat. The texture’s too smooth for anything else.”
“I don’t think it’s meat. Meat isn’t this tender.”
“If it’s not meat, what could it be? The flavor is so rich!”
Seeing that no one had guessed correctly, Jian Mo was about to reveal the answer when Qing Kuo, deep in thought, suddenly said, “I heard you’ve been working with mien fruit recently. Is this made from mien fruit?”
Before Jian Mo could reply, Zhou Fu’s already round eyes grew wider. “Impossible! Mien fruit tastes terrible! Everyone uses it as beast feed. How could it be turned into something edible? And look, mien fruit is round and hard, while this is soft, flat, and delicious. How can they be the same?”
Zhou Fu turned to Jian Mo. “This must be something new you found in the forest, right?”
Jian Mo shook his head with a smile. “It’s mien fruit.”
The group erupted in disbelief.
Even those less familiar with Jian Mo came over to see what the commotion was about. After tasting the cakes, they too refused to believe they were made from mien fruit.
Qing Kuo, still inspecting the cake, transformed partway into his beast form, with fluffy ears and round pupils, to enhance his senses before taking another bite.
The others quickly followed suit, releasing their beast-like features for sharper perceptions.
It wasn’t until they heightened their senses that they could faintly detect the subtle taste of mien fruit in the cakes.
Qing Kuo stared at the cakes and asked, “How did you make these?”
Jian Mo explained the process briefly.
Qing Kuo nodded thoughtfully. “If mien fruit is edible, this winter will be much easier.”
He thought of his unshaped young cub at home. With mien fruit as a supplement, they wouldn’t have to worry about hunger this winter.
The others also realized this, their expressions hopeful as they looked at Jian Mo. Many expressed interest in seeing his stock of mien fruit cakes.
Since their group wasn’t yet fully gathered and wouldn’t depart for a while, Jian Mo decided to show them.
The mien fruit cakes were stored downstairs at Jian Mo’s home—a large basin full of the grayish-white cakes.
The solid, appetizing appearance of the cakes made them far more appealing than the coarse root vegetables piled nearby.
Xi Lu couldn’t help but rise on tiptoes from the back of the group and ask, “Jian Mo, how much mien fruit did you use to make all of this?”
Jian Mo lightly tapped the nearby bucket with his foot. “Just about half a bucket.”
Xi Lu exclaimed, “That little?”
Zhou Fu couldn’t contain himself anymore. Looking around at the group, he suggested, “How about we go gather some mien fruit ourselves? Let’s stock up before winter.”
Xi Lu was tempted but shook his head. “We don’t have mien fruit in our area. Only the lowland tribes have it. That’s their territory—we can’t cross boundaries.”
The tribes had long established territorial boundaries. Foraging in another tribe’s area would likely lead to conflict.
Xi Lu’s reminder brought everyone back to reality, and their excitement cooled.
From within the group, Qing Kuo spoke up. “Not necessarily.”
As a respected figure, his words immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Qing Kuo explained, “Not long ago, the Zhengchi Tribe had a territorial dispute with the Yigu Tribe. The Mengshui Tribe mediated, and the contested area was declared neutral. Anyone can go there now.”
Zhou Fu suddenly remembered. “Right, right! That was a big deal. The two tribes still haven’t made peace.”
Another voice chimed in from the back. “Should we ask Ying Duan? He’s originally from the Zhengchi Tribe, isn’t he?”
Ying Duan, a sub-beastman from the Zhengchi Tribe, had moved to the He’an Tribe after meeting his mate, Shui Jin, at a previous Hunting Festival.
They were one of the rare couples from different tribes.
Children of inter-tribal couples inherited traits from only one parent’s tribe, so the couple’s union faced a lot of resistance from the Zhengchi Tribe in the beginning. Since then, Ying Duan has integrated into the He’an Tribe.
The allure of Jian Mo’s mien fruit cakes was strong enough that the group decided to visit Ying Duan immediately.
When they arrived, Shui Jin was there as well. The couple welcomed the group warmly, their smiles wide as they served tea.
Hearing the question about mien fruit, Ying Duan thought for a moment before replying, “Yes, there’s a neutral area like that. It’s full of wetlands, and there’s a lot of mien fruit in the water.”
Excitement lit up the group’s faces as they exchanged glances.
However, Ying Duan added, “But since that fight between the Zhengchi and Yigu Tribes, both sides have been bitter. Every year, they race to harvest everything from the neutral zone. The mien fruit is in season now, but I’m not sure if there’s any left.”
As soon as Ying Duan finished speaking, the group’s initial excitement faded significantly.
Zhou Fu remained optimistic. “But aren’t mien fruits underwater and hard to harvest? Plus, they’re not tasty, so maybe there are still some left?”
Ying Duan nodded. “It’s possible.”
Others, however, weren’t as hopeful. Although mien fruits were unpleasant to eat, they could be traded. With the Zhengchi Tribe situated in a lowland region surrounded by many tribes, they likely had more opportunities for resource exchange compared to the He’an Tribe.
Qing Kuo suggested, “We could try trading with another tribe for mien fruits.”
Zhou Fu shook his head. “The Hunting Festival is over. Most tribes probably don’t have spare mien fruits for trade—unless they’re for feeding Tuo Tuo Beasts.”
Qing Kuo glanced at Zhou Fu. “You still want to go?”
Zhou Fu nodded, sharing his thoughts. “Gathering near the tribe every day is getting dull. Why not go explore?”
After a pause, he added, “Even if there are no mien fruits left, there’ll surely be other things to gather.”
This struck a chord with the group, sparking their interest.
Qing Kuo didn’t oppose the idea but encouraged everyone to deliberate further.
The group, feeling a mix of excitement and worry, split up to continue their daily hunting and foraging.
Jian Mo, who had yet to travel far in this world, felt a growing desire to join the expedition but kept it to himself.
Over the next two days, the tribe held discussions, and Zhou Fu even pulled Wu Jiong into a few of them. In the end, the majority voted in favor of the journey.
The Zhengchi Tribe was much farther than the Mengshui Tribe—about two or three days on foot.
Since it was a long journey, the tribe decided against sending everyone. Wu Jiong organized a plan: half of the able-bodied members would stay behind, while the other half would make the trip.
To Jian Mo’s surprise, they decided to bring along nearly all the shapeshifted children, explaining that the trip would be a valuable learning experience for them.
Their progressive and inclusive educational approach left a deep impression on Jian Mo. Despite being different from what he had imagined, the beastmen world was still a kind of civilization, and certainly not as primitive as it first appeared.
The expedition team was large, and Jian Mo stuck close to Wu Jiong.
Chirpy, the Winged Beast, was also brought along. Having grown accustomed to traveling with them, Chirpy chirped cheerfully throughout the journey, often nudging Jian Mo for snacks.
Jian Mo had brought fried fish chunks, crispy meat, stir-fried mien fruit cakes, and candied fruits—all of Chirpy’s favorite treats.
The sneaky creature had learned that rolling around in front of Jian Mo and exposing its soft belly while chirping pitifully often resulted in more snacks. By now, Chirpy was a master of the trick.
Jian Mo noted the increased frequency of these antics but found himself unable to resist.
—After all, who could say no to a large fluffy creature showing off its belly for pets?
After a day and a half of traveling, the group arrived at the edge of the unclaimed land near the Zhengchi Tribe.
The territory was expansive, nearly half the size of the He’an Tribe’s territory.
Qing Kuo, riding on the beast form of his mate, Di Ya, surveyed the area and called out, “Should we head south or north from here?”
Wu Jiong, holding Jian Mo securely on Chirpy’s back, suggested, “You all take a break here. Jian Mo and I will scout ahead on Chirpy.”
Everyone agreed to the plan.
Wu Jiong guided Chirpy into the air. From above, they could easily scout the terrain, saving time and effort.
Over the past two days, they had been feeding and playing with Chirpy extensively. The Winged Beast had become more obedient and could now follow verbal commands without the need for reins.
This freed Wu Jiong and Jian Mo to focus entirely on scouting below.
From their vantage point, they could see forests, lakes, and other features clearly. The water was so clean that they could even see the lake beds from above, likely due to the lack of pollution.
Mien fruit branches resembled lotus stems, though the leaves were much smaller. Both the leaf stems and blades were covered in dense, sharp thorns, making them unfriendly to anyone attempting to harvest them.
Jian Mo observed several lakes, but the branches at their bottoms were bare, with only a few yellowish-brown fruits scattered here and there—likely missed by previous harvesters.
Disappointed, Jian Mo withdrew his gaze and turned to Wu Jiong.
Wu Jiong’s expression remained calm, showing no sign of frustration at the empty branches.
Noticing Jian Mo’s gaze, he said, “Let’s complete the patrol. We might find some untouched mien fruit branches.”
They were sitting close together, and Wu Jiong’s warm breath brushed Jian Mo’s ear as he spoke, causing it to redden slightly. Embarrassed, Jian Mo stammered, “Then let’s fly that way—there are more lakes in that direction.”
He pointed toward a cluster of shimmering lakes in the sunlight.
Wu Jiong nodded and patted Chirpy’s side. “Chirpy, change direction.”
“Chirp chirp!” responded the Winged Beast, flapping its wings to adjust course.
Flying allowed them to travel in a straight line, avoiding the winding routes they would need to take on foot. This saved considerable time and effort.
They passed over several lakes, all of which had mien fruit branches at their bottoms—but every single one had been harvested clean.
Jian Mo grew increasingly anxious, worried that their large group had come all this way only to return empty-handed.
As Jian Mo mulled over these concerns, Wu Jiong patted Chirpy’s wing again. “Chirpy, head over that mountain.”
Jian Mo looked up to see a towering mountain ahead.
The area was low-lying, so the mountain lacked snow and was covered only with shrubs and grass.
“Is the land beyond the mountain still unclaimed territory?” Jian Mo asked.
Wu Jiong, his arm steady around Jian Mo, replied, “Yes. There’s a shallow lake in a mountain hollow. The trail is difficult, so few sub-beastmen go there to gather the unpleasant mien fruits.”
Sub-beastmen lacked the endurance of beastmen, making it unlikely they would carry heavy baskets across treacherous terrain for undesirable fruits.
Jian Mo’s spirits lifted. “I hope the mien fruits there are untouched!”
Chirpy’s flight seemed leisurely but covered great distances quickly. In no time, they had flown far past the mountain’s foothills.
As Chirpy carried Jian Mo and Wu Jiong over the mountain, the edge of a lake came into view.
The surface of the lake mirrored the blue sky and white clouds, sparkling under the gentle breeze. The scenery was breathtaking.
Jian Mo’s eyes immediately locked onto the dark green mien fruit branches in the water, and he straightened excitedly. “There really are mien fruits in this lake!”
Wu Jiong added, “Looks like they haven’t been harvested yet.”
Jian Mo turned to him. “You can see that?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “I can make out the yellow-brown fruit on the branches, but it might not be completely accurate.”
“We’ll know for sure if we get closer,” Jian Mo said eagerly. He patted Chirpy beneath him. “Chirpy, fly lower!”
Chirpy happily obeyed, flapping its wings faster and heading for the lake. “Chirp chirp!”
As they drew nearer, even Jian Mo’s eyes could make out the mien fruits below.
The fruits grew densely at the tips of the branches, resembling loquats during a bountiful harvest.
Wild fruits rarely grew so abundantly.
“Look!” Jian Mo said excitedly. “The mien fruits are still on the branches. No one’s harvested them.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “I see them. The whole lake is full. This is a great find.”
After carefully examining the lake several times, Jian Mo said, “Let’s go back and call the others over.”
“Alright,” Wu Jiong replied.
Before Wu Jiong could give the command, Chirpy had already understood their conversation. The clever beast turned on its own and began flying back to the group’s resting spot.
Jian Mo laughed and patted Chirpy’s neck. “Good Chirpy.”
Chirpy chirped back happily, “Chirp chirp!”
Thanks to Chirpy, their return trip was swift.
When the group heard that there was a shallow lake in the mountain hollow filled with mien fruits—enough to fill all their baskets—they immediately stood up, eager to set out.
Zhou Fu was the first to climb onto his mate’s back. “I’ve never picked mien fruits myself. No way I’m missing this chance today.”
His mate, Jiu Yin, in his large red fox form, laughed. “Then you’d better hold on tight.”
Zhou Fu hugged Jiu Yin’s neck and pressed his cheek to the fox’s massive head. “No problem! If I fall, you can catch me with your mouth.”
The group laughed as they prepared their baskets. The sub-beastmen climbed onto their partners, and once ready, they followed Di Ya and Qing Kuo, the lead pair, toward the lake.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong stayed on Chirpy to guide the way from above.
Traveling on foot through the mountainous terrain was much slower than flying in a straight line, and climbing up and down was exhausting. However, the beastmen’s large builds and incredible stamina made the journey manageable.
From above, Jian Mo watched the group below, marveling at their speed. It looked less like running and more like they were gliding along the ground.
How could they move so fast? In just moments, they were crossing from one hilltop to another.
Thanks to their efforts, the group reached the lake before noon.
Everyone’s eyes lit up at the sight of the mien fruits growing in the water.
Qing Kuo, seated atop Di Ya, surveyed the lake from above. “This trip was worth it.”
Jian Mo descended with Chirpy, landing near the group. “The only question is, how deep is the lake’s mud? Will it be easy to harvest?”
Zhou Fu, brimming with excitement, cut in cheerfully. “Who cares? If it’s hard, we’ll just swim for them!”
Jian Mo raised an eyebrow. “Does everyone here know how to swim?”
Zhou Fu grinned. “Of course! Our tribe is full of natural swimmers. You’ve seen us during bath time, haven’t you?”
Jian Mo glanced at the group of feline- and canine-like beastmen. It did seem like these fluffy creatures were naturally adept at swimming.
Several sub-beastmen, including Zhou Fu, prepared themselves and carefully entered the water.
Before long, Zhou Fu called out, “The water’s shallow! Most of it only comes up to our waists, but there are some deeper spots, so watch your step.”
Xi Lu added, “I spotted some big-tooth fish in the water. Everyone be careful.”
Jian Mo’s interest was piqued. After weeks of experimenting with fish-based dishes, he immediately asked, “What kind of fish?”
Xi Lu turned to him. “A type of fish with sharp teeth. It’s very aggressive. It bites mien fruits like they’re toys and can even crush stones.”
Jian Mo’s mind leapt to piranhas. “Will they bite us?”
Xi Lu reassured him, “Not really. Their mouths are too small. To bite something, they have to suck it in first, and it’s hard for them to bite beastmen or sub-beastmen.”
Relieved, Jian Mo grinned. “If they don’t bite us, then it’s time for us to eat them.”
The group laughed at his remark and began wading into the lake.
The water was indeed shallow, ranging from one to two meters deep. In the deeper spots, a strong kick and a few strokes were enough to reach the shore, so it posed no significant challenge.
However, the water was quite cold. Even under the midday sun, staying in for too long made it uncomfortable.
Jian Mo looked around and saw everyone chatting and laughing as they harvested mien fruits, despite their hands turning pale from the cold water. Not wanting to seem lazy, he tried to stay warm by moving his arms more vigorously.
Wu Jiong, noticing his discomfort, reached out a long arm and pulled him closer. “Why don’t you rest on the shore for a bit?”
“No need.” Jian Mo glanced at the others, not wanting to appear like he was shirking. “If I keep moving, I’ll stay warm.”
Wu Jiong gently nudged him. “The mien fruits are heavy. Go to the shore and start shelling them. That way, they’ll be easier to carry back. I’ll handle our group’s harvesting.”
Wu Jiong’s tone left no room for argument. Noticing some of the others watching, Jian Mo felt that refusing would undermine Wu Jiong’s authority, so he nodded. “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”
Once on shore, Zhou Fu and a few others joined him, along with some older children.
The harvested mien fruits were dumped onto the grass. The group gathered stones to crack the fruits, carefully extracting the kernels inside.
After shelling the fruits, they spread the kernels out on the grass to dry.
The sunlight and cold wind would help remove excess moisture, reducing the kernels’ weight and making them easier to carry back.
The group worked steadily, harvesting and shelling the mien fruits with impressive efficiency.
The abundance of mien fruits led Wu Jiong and the tribe members to camp by the lake overnight and return home the next morning.
No one objected, and the children, especially, were thrilled, running around the lakeside in excitement.
Cooking was less convenient outdoors, so the beastmen hunted game and caught fish. Dinner consisted mainly of roasted meat and fish—simple and practical.
They had brought some spice powders, which made the food palatable, though not particularly delicious.
Jian Mo sat among the group, listening to stories about their travels.
Beastmen and sub-beastmen lived exceptionally long lives and possessed great individual strength, so it was common for them to undertake journeys away from their tribes. Many of the tribe’s couples had ventured out, with the older generation being especially fond of traveling.
The tales told that evening were ones passed down through the generations, recounting adventures from faraway places. Jian Mo found the stories fascinating.
The night passed with campfires, chatter, and sleep.
There was no need for hides or bedding. Sub-beastmen and children slept on their beastman partners or family members, who were warm, furry, and large enough to provide a cozy rest for everyone except those on patrol.
The next morning, Jian Mo awoke feeling utterly relaxed atop Wu Jiong’s soft, warm fur, which carried a faint scent of soap.
It was incredibly comfortable.
Unfortunately, they had to hit the road today, and with so many people around, lingering in bed wasn’t an option.
Qing Kuo noticed Jian Mo waking and turned to him. “I checked the mien fruits earlier. They’ve dried out quite a bit. The cores are turning white.”
This was a sign of low moisture content, and Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “I’ll go take a look.”
Climbing off Wu Jiong, Jian Mo went to examine the fruits.
Sure enough, the cores had turned white and the texture was brittle. When crushed, fine powder floated up from the fragments.
Jian Mo hefted a handful and confirmed they had become much lighter. It would be easier to carry them back today.
Qing Kuo asked, “Will drying them like this affect your mien fruit cakes?”
Jian Mo studied the fruits and replied, “It shouldn’t. Drying doesn’t spoil them. Once we soak them back in water, they’ll be as good as new.”
Reassured, Qing Kuo nodded. “Then let’s prepare to head back.”
With Qing Kuo’s call, everyone began packing the dried mien fruits into baskets for transport.
Jian Mo offered to help, but the group insisted he stay by the campfire to cook breakfast, praising his culinary skills. They even assigned a few helpers to assist him.
Surveying the leftover fish and meat from the previous night, Jian Mo decided to reheat them. He also buried the wild vegetables and fruits they had gathered the day before in ashes to roast, planning to mix everything together for a meal.
The sub-beastmen assisting him, though unfamiliar with this cooking method, found Jian Mo’s approach fascinating.
“You just bury it in ash and roast it? Then peel off the skin, and it’s ready? That’s so efficient!”
“I was just thinking about how dry the roasted meat and fish were yesterday, but mixing them with wild veggies and fruits makes them so much better.”
“This tangy, salty flavor is amazing. When I get back, I’m definitely trying this again!”
Jian Mo smiled at their comments but felt a pang of regret. If only we had chili peppers, he thought. I could make a roasted chili sauce to mix with the veggies, fruits, meat, and fish. That would be incredible.
The others, unaware of Jian Mo’s longing for chili, were delighted with the meal.
After breakfast, they cleaned up, packed their supplies, tidied the camp, and began their journey back to the tribe.
Upon returning, the group immediately placed the shelled mien fruits into the river, weighing the baskets down with large stones to keep them from being washed away.
Watching the flowing river, Jian Mo had a hunch that soaking the fruits in the current would improve their quality even further. The river’s flow should dilute the unpleasant odor more effectively.
However, it was too early to tell. They would have to wait a few days to see the results.
As winter approached, the weather grew colder, and the tribe’s food stores were still insufficient. Everyone took advantage of the remaining time to stockpile supplies.
Beastmen spent increasingly long hours hunting, while sub-beastmen extended their foraging trips.
Where they once rotated rest days or split off into small groups for personal errands, everyone now prioritized moving with the main group, using every available moment to prepare for winter.
The atmosphere reminded Jian Mo of the busy harvest seasons from his childhood when time was of the essence.
After several days of soaking, the mien fruits were ready, though there had been little time to process them. Zhou Fu eventually dragged Xi Lu to Jian Mo, declaring that the fruits were done.
“I took some out and sniffed them with my beast nose,” Zhou Fu said earnestly. “No more strange smell. I think they’re ready.”
Hearing this, Jian Mo nodded. “Alright, I will try making some cakes tonight.”
Zhou Fu’s eyes sparkled. “Can we stay and watch?”
Jian Mo smiled. “Of course. I’ll ask Qing Kuo and the others to help too. It’ll be a good opportunity to show everyone how to process the fruits.”
Zhou Fu immediately volunteered, “I’ll go invite them. You rest here.”
Zhou Fu and Xi Lu ran off to gather the others, while Jian Mo and Wu Jiong retrieved some of the soaked mien fruits from the river.
The fruits had swelled significantly, feeling soft and squishy to the touch. A light squeeze was enough to turn them into pulp.
Jian Mo worked the pulp between his fingers. “Using a stone pestle is a bit cumbersome. When we have time, let’s see if we can find some suitable stones by the river to make a stone mill.”
Wu Jiong asked, “A stone mill?”
Jian Mo gestured with his hands. “It’s two round stones stacked on top of each other. The top stone has a hole in the center. You feed stuff into the hole and rotate the top stone to grind it into a paste.”
Wu Jiong nodded in understanding. “We don’t have one, but the Mengshui Tribe has a water mill. They use it to grind roots sometimes.”
Jian Mo remembered something. “Is it near their bathing area? I saw some large carved stones there but couldn’t get a closer look.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “That’s the one. They’ve got plenty of stones there. When we have time, we can trade for a couple.”
Jian Mo smiled. “Sounds good. Winter’s quieter, so we can work on processing the food we’ve harvested.”
While many households in the tribe were still struggling to stockpile enough food, Wu Jiong’s household faced no such issue. As a powerful beastman, his home stored far more supplies than the average family, enough that even with Jian Mo’s presence, they couldn’t finish it all.
Much of the food had been dried and hung from the beams of the house. Jian Mo had noticed it while cooking and thought many of the ingredients could be further processed into other dishes.
As they chatted, Qing Kuo arrived with a group of sub-beastmen.
Upon hearing that the mien fruits would be processed tonight, they eagerly came over to help and learn.
Jian Mo wasted no time. Once everyone was gathered, they carried the mien fruits to prepare them. They soaked the fruits in lye water, pounded them into a slurry, scooped it up, kneaded it into dough, shaped it, cut it into pieces, and then boiled it in large pots.
Through boiling, the mien fruit slurry solidified into cakes—semi-transparent, gray-brown blocks that looked surprisingly appetizing.
After three rounds of boiling, Jian Mo broke a cake into pieces and handed them out for everyone to taste.
Even without additional soaking, the cakes had lost their unpleasant odor. Instead, they carried a faint, refreshing fragrance unique to lye water.
Qing Kuo, chewing thoughtfully, remarked, “If mien fruit cakes always taste like this, they’d be a perfect winter storage food.”
Unlike root vegetables, which had limited shelf lives even in cool, dry conditions, mien fruits were naturally durable. Their thick skins prevented spoilage for a long time, and once dried, their rock-hard form seemed capable of lasting a decade or more.
Jian Mo added, “Maybe it’s because we dried them first, then soaked them. The sunlight and river water likely removed most of the bad taste.”
Qing Kuo nodded in agreement.
Jian Mo glanced at Wu Jiong and, seeing no objection, proposed, “Why don’t we all stay here for dinner tonight? I can stew the mien fruit cakes and see if the flavor improves with cooking.”
Qing Kuo stood up. “I’ll head back and let Di Ya and the others know. I’ll bring some ingredients over too.”
Jian Mo considered this and turned to the other sub-beastmen. “Why not bring your beastmen over as well? I’ll set up a couple more pots. Stews are easy to make.”
Hearing this, Qing Kuo offered a bolder suggestion. “In that case, why don’t we make it a tribe-wide feast tonight? It’s been a while since our last gathering. Everyone can bring some food, and we’ll have a big, lively meal.”
The idea was met with unanimous enthusiasm.
Zhou Fu chimed in, “Ever since the Hunting Festival, we’ve been busy gathering mien fruits and storing food for winter. We haven’t had time to celebrate. Tonight’s perfect for some fun!”
